Surgical drape with drainage troughs

ABSTRACT

A surgical drape having a highly absorbent area around the fenestration and radially extending drainage troughs formed in the absorbent area to distribute the fluids from the surgical site to the whole absorbent area. A border channel terminating the radial troughs and a repellent area directly surrounding the fenestration may also be provided. The drape may be produced by subjecting foam absorbent material to heat at the portions where the areas of lesser absorbency are to be formed.

United States Patent [1 1 Wilson et al.

[ Nov. 25, 1975 1 SURGICAL DRAPE WITH DRAINAGE TROUGI-IS [75] Inventors: Gerald M. Wilson, Howardsville,

Va.; John G. Ferreri, Spartanburg,

[73] Assignee: Spartan Mills, Inc., Spartensburg,

[22] Filed: May 14, 1974 [21] Appl. N0.: 469,874

[52] US. Cl. 128/132 D; 128/156 [51] Int. Cl. A61F 13/00 [58] Field of Search 128/132 D, 132 R, 112,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,062,978 12/1936 King 128/296 2,896,618 7/1959 Schaefer 128/155 3,430,629 3/1969 Murphy 128/284 3,668,050 6/1972 Donnelly.... 128/132 D 3,766,913 10/1973 Balin 128/132 D Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Henry J. Recla Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT A surgical drape having a highly absorbent area around the fenestration and radially extending drainage troughs formed in the absorbent area to distribute the fluids from the surgical site to the whole absorbent area. A border channel terminating the radial troughs and a repellent area directly surrounding the fenestration may also be provided. The drape may be produced by subjecting foam absorbent material to heat at the portions where the areas of lesser absorbency are to be formed.

12 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 3,921,627

SURGICAL DRAPE WITH DRAINAGE TROUGHS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a surgical drape having absorbent material associated therewith for absorbing fluids draining from the surgical site. In the past it has been known to provide a surgical drapewith absorbent material ,on the top surface thereof surrounding the fenestration to absorb fluids draining from the site to prevent them from wetting the whole operating area (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,668,050 and 3,766,913 for example). In using such drapes, however, especially when the absorbent material is very thin (as it desirably is for the retention of good drapeability, ease and cost of construction, etc.) it has sometimes been necessary to use suction devices to draw away the fluid absorbed by the absorbent material to keep portions of it from getting too wet and thus not performing their function see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,721,234 and 3,763,857for example).

According to the teachings of the present invention, an improved drape of the above type is provided that does not require expensive suction means and the like to insure that the absorbent material does not get too wet in specific areas, but instead it insures that all areas of the absorbent material will have fluid delivered thereto for absorption thereby. The drape according to the teachings of the present invention may be formed relatively inexpensively, and may be formed in just one manufacturing operation, and effectively performs its function of allowing fluids to drain from the site, but absorbing them immediately thereafter so that they will not flow onto the floor or wet the operating areain general. The drape according to the invention includes radial troughs of lesser absorbency than the absorbent material leading from the site into the absorbent material, with a barrier channel formedin the absorbent material near the bottom thereof. The troughs can be formed by heat treating a particular absorbent material itself so that one operation can be used to stamp out the fenestration, form a repellent area around the fenestration, and form the radial drainage troughs.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved relatively inexpensive surgical drape that provides for good distribution of the fluids draining from a surgical site so that they may readily be absorbed by absorbent material. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an exemplary surgical drape according to the teachings of the present inventiou;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary drape according to the teachings of the present invention shown in use on a patient; and

FIG. 3 is a detailed top plan view of a modification of the absorbent sheet for the drape shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A disposable surgical drape according to the teachings of the present invention is shown generally at in FlG. 1. The drape 10 consists of a main sheet 12, preferably formed of Kaycel or other standard somewhat 2 repellent non-woven material with good 'drapeability. Located in the main sheet12 is a fenestration 14 which will bepositioned on the patient at the surgical site (as shown in FIG. 2). Surrounding the fenestration 14 is a sheet of absorbent material 16. Any absorbent material may be used, but a sheet of polyurethane foam bonded to the main sheet 12 is preferably used because of its excellent absorbency, its frictional properties which allow instruments to be placed thereon without sliding off, and the fact that portions of lesser absorbency may be readily formed therein, as will be further explained.

Directly surrounding the fenestration 14 it is preferable to have a highly repellent area 18 to allow fluids at the site to be quickly drained from the immediate vicinity. Leading from the highly repellent area 18 are radial troughs 20 of lesser absorbency than the absorbent material 16, according to the teachings of the present invention, which carry the fluid from the vicinity of the surgical site to all areas of the absorbent material 16 so that the fluid will be spread out throughout the sheet 16 and so 'that'no area will become too wet while other portions remain dry. The radial troughs or channels 20 are preferably terminated in a border trough 22 also of lesser absorbency than the material 16 that is transverse to the direction of troughs 20 and formed generally concentrically with the fenestration 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the drape is placed on a patient 30 on an operating table 32 the troughs 20 will slope downwardly so that fluid will be readily drained from the fenestration 14, while the border diamond 22 prevents the fluid from flowing directly through the absorbent area 16.

The preferred drape according to the teachings of the present invention has a polyurethane foam sheet 16 bonded to the main sheet 12. After the two are bonded together, a heat dye is brought into contact therewith. The heat dye is formed to cut out the fenestration '14 in both the absorbent foam sheet 16 and in the main sheet 12, and at the same time to anneal and collapse portions of the sheet 16 thereby forming the radial troughs 20, the border trough 22, and the area 18 immediately around the fenestration. When annealed, the normally highly absorbent polyurethane foam 16 has its cellular structure fused and collapsed to form non-cellular areas which are fluid impervious and repellent, said repellent areas integral with the merging into said foam.

As shown in FIG. 3, the radial troughs may be formed in zig-zag shape to increase the area of highly absorbent material that they touch, and even the border trough 122 may be formed in a zig-zag or like shape. In addition, the repellent area 18 directly surrounding the fencstration may be omitted if desired. The absorbent area 16 may be of any workable shape and size relative to the main sheet 12. Many other modifications are also possible. For instance, other types of absorbent material than foam may be utilized, and the radially extending troughs may be formed by strips of repellent plastic laminated to the absorbent material, or may be strips of any material of lesser absorbency than the sheet 16. When polyurethane foam or similar absorbent material is used, the repellent areas may be formed by applying RF energy instead of heat energy.

Thus, it is apparent that an improved relatively inexpensive surgical drape providing for efficient drainage and absorption of fluids from the surgical site fulfilling the objects of the present invention has been clearly disclosed.

However, although the invention has been disclosed in what is presently conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, departure may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which scope is not to be limited except by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical drape comprising:

a. a main sheet having a fenestration therein;

b. an absorbent area generally surrounding said fenestration; and

c. a plurality of troughs of material having less absorbency than said absorbent area extending generally radially from said fenestration in said absorbent area for providing drainage of fluid from said fenestration to said absorbent area to be more readily absorbed thereby.

2. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said drape further comprises a border channelof material having less absorbency than said absorbent area terminating said radially extending troughs in said absorbent area for further facilitating ready absorption of fluid from said fenestration by said absorbent area, said border channel being generally concentric with said fenestration.

3. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said drape further comprises an area of repellent material directly surrounding said fenestration, said absorbent area being spaced from said fenestration by said repellent material.

4. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said generally radially extending troughs are of zig-zag shape.

5. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said absorbent area is composed of a polyurethane foam sheet bonded to said main sheet, said radially extending troughs of the same material as said foam sheet, integral with said foam, and merging into said foam.

6. A surgical drape asrecited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of troughs are of liquid repellant character.

7. A surgical drape comprising:

a. a main sheet of non-woven material having a fenestration therein;

b. an area of absorbent material generally surrounding said fenestration; and c. means for facilitating drainage of fluids from said fenestration for ready absorption by said absorbent,

material, said means including a plurality of drainage troughs of material having less absorbency than said absorbent material extending generally radially from said fenestration in said absorbent mate;

rial. 8. A surgical drape as recited in claim 7 wherein said drape further. comprises a border channel of material 2 having less absorbency than said absorbent material terminating said radially extending troughs in said absorbent area for further facilitating ready absorption of said generally radially extending troughs are of zig-zag shape.

11. A surgical drape as recited in claim 7 wherein said plurality of drainage troughs are ofliquid repellent character.

12. A surgical drape comprising a. a main sheet of non-woven material having a fenestration therein,

b. an area of absorbent material generally surround- 1 ing said fenestration, said absorbent area composed of a polyurethane foam sheet bonded to said main sheet,

c. means for facilitating drainage of fluids from said fenestration for ready absorption by said absorbent material, said means including a plurality of drainage troughs of the same material as said foam sheet, integral with said foam, and merging into said foam, but being of lesser absorbency than said foam sheet, and extending generally radiallyfrom said fenestration in said absorbent material. 

1. A surgical drape comprising: a. a main sheet having a fenestration therein; b. an absorbent area generally surrounding said fenestration; and c. a plurality of troughs of material having less absorbency than said absorbent area extending generally radially from said fenestration in said absorbent area for providing drainage of fluid from said fenestration to said absorbent area to be more readily absorbed thereby.
 2. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said drape further comprises a border channel of material having less absorbency than said absorbent area terminating said radially extending troughs in said absorbent area for further facilitating ready absorption of fluid from said fenestration by said absorbent area, said border channel being generally concentric with said fenestration.
 3. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said drape further comprises an area of repellent material directly surrounding said fenestration, said absorbent area being spaced from said fenestration by said repellent material.
 4. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said generally radially extending troughs are of zig-zag shape.
 5. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said absorbent area is composed of a polyurethane foam sheet bonded to said main sheet, said radially extending troughs of the same material as said foam sheet, integral with said foam, and merging into said foam.
 6. A surgical drape as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of troughs are of liquid repellant character.
 7. A surgical drape comprising: a. a main sheet of non-woven material having a fenestration therein; b. an area of absorbent material generally surrounding said fenestration; and c. means for facilitating drainage of fluids from said fenestration for ready absorption by said absorbent material, said means including a plurality of drainage troughs of material having less absorbency than said absorbent material extending generally radially from said fenestration in said absorbent material.
 8. A surgical drape as recited in claim 7 wherein said drape further comprises a border channel of material having less absorbency than said absorbent material terminating said radially extending troughs in said absorbent area for further facilitating ready absorption of fluid from said fenestration by said absorbent area, said border channel being generally concentric with said fenestration.
 9. A surgical drape as recited in claim 7 wherein said drape further comprises an area of repellent material directly surrounding said fenestration, said absorbent area being spaced from said fenestration by said repellent material.
 10. A surgical drape as recited in claim 7 wherein said generally radially extending troughs are of zig-zag shape.
 11. A surgical drape as recited in claim 7 wherein said plurality of drainage troughs are of liquid repellent character.
 12. A surgical drape comprising a. a main sheet of non-woven material having a fenestration therein, b. an area of absorbent material generally surrounding said fenestration, said absorbent area composed of a polyurethane foam sheet bonded to said main sheet, c. means for facilitating drainage of fluids from said fenestration for ready absorption by said absorbent material, said means including a plurality of drainage troughs of the same material as said foam sheet, integral with said foam, and merging into said foam, but being of lesser absorbency than said foam sheet, and extending generally radially from said fenestration in said absorbent material. 